Gerente de Permisos y Regulación– Nuevo Cobre
- Sé parte de un equipo impulsado por la seguridad y el logro de objetivos.
- Gran oportunidad para seguir desarrollando tus habilidades de liderazgo.
- Vive nuestros valores: Cuidado, Coraje y Curiosidad.
- Posición basada en Copiapó, Chile.
Sobre el puesto
Buscando mejores formas de proveer los materiales que el mundo necesita.
Este rol es responsable de diseñar e implementar la estrategia de permisos para el proyecto Nuevo Cobre, abarcando todas las fases desde estudios hasta construcción y operación. El/la Gerente de Permisos y Regulación asegura la obtención oportuna y el cumplimiento de todos los permisos requeridos, incluyendo Estudios de Impacto Ambiental (EIAs) y Declaraciones de Impacto Ambiental (DIAs), permitiendo que el proyecto avance sin retrasos regulatorios.
Este rol respalda el avance estratégico de una de las iniciativas de cobre más críticas de Rio Tinto en Chile, influyendo directamente en la viabilidad del proyecto, la alineación con los grupos de interés y la preparación operativa. Opera en múltiples jurisdicciones e interactúa con autoridades nacionales, regionales y locales, así como con equipos internos y consultores externos.
Responsabilidades principales y áreas clave de enfoque
- Desarrollar y ejecutar el pan de trabajo de permisos alineado con los hitos del proyecto y los plazos regulatorios.
- Liderar la preparación, presentación y seguimiento de EIAs, DIAs y permisos sectoriales, asegurando el pleno cumplimiento de la normativa ambiental y minera chilena.
- Coordinar con los equipos legales, técnicos y comunitarios para garantizar que las solicitudes de permisos reflejen el diseño del proyecto y las expectativas de los grupos de interés.
- Interactuar con organismos reguladores como SEA, SERNAGEOMIN, DGA, CONAF y SEREMIs para facilitar aprobaciones y resolver contingencias.
- Monitorear tendencias regulatorias y asesorar sobre ajustes estratégicos para mitigar riesgos y retrasos.
- Brindar orientación experta sobre restricciones de permisos, acceso a tierras y negociaciones de derechos mineros.
- Apoyar la preparación operativa asegurando que todos los permisos de construcción y operación estén disponibles y alineados con los planes de ejecución del proyecto.
- Representar al proyecto en instancias de relacionamiento con grupos de interés y consultas comunitarias relacionadas con permisos.
Lo que aportarás y lo que se requiere para ser considerado/a para este rol
- Título universitario en Ingeniería Ambiental, Derecho, Políticas Públicas o campo relacionado (excluyente).
- Maestría o especialización de posgrado en Gestión Ambiental, Asuntos Regulatorios o Derecho Minero (deseable).
- Mínimo 20 años de experiencia en roles de permisos y regulación para proyectos mineros de gran escala en Chile.
- Historial comprobado liderando y obteniendo aprobaciones para múltiples EIAs y DIAs en entornos de proyectos complejos.
- Profundo conocimiento de los marcos regulatorios chilenos, incluyendo procesos SEA, permisos sectoriales y emisión de RCAs.
- Experiencia gestionando permisos para componentes de infraestructura como plantas de procesamiento, sistemas eléctricos, suministro de agua y plantas desalinizadoras.
- Familiaridad con comisiones de evaluación ambiental, informes consolidados (ICE) y flujo documental de RCAs.
- Capacidad demostrada para liderar equipos multidisciplinarios y coordinar funciones legales, técnicas y comunitarias.
- Habilidades sólidas de relacionamiento con grupos de interés, con experiencia en interacción con agencias gubernamentales, comunidades indígenas y socios de empresas conjuntas.
- Pensamiento estratégico, alta resiliencia y adaptabilidad en entornos regulatorios dinámicos.
- Excelentes habilidades de comunicación en español e inglés.
- Compromiso con el liderazgo ético, la sostenibilidad y los valores fundamentales de Rio Tinto.
**English**
Permitting Regulatory Manager – Nuevo Cobre
- Be part of a team driven by safety and goal achievement.
- Great opportunity to continue developing your leadership skills.
- Live our values: Care, Courage, and Curiosity.
- Position based in Santiago or Copiapó, Chile.
About the Role
Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.
This role is responsible for designing and implementing the permitting strategy for the Nuevo Cobre project, covering all phases from study to construction and operations. The Permitting and Regulatory Manager ensures timely acquisition and compliance of all required permits, including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Environmental Impact Declarations (DIAs), enabling the project to progress without regulatory delays.
The role supports the strategic advancement of one of Rio Tinto’s most critical copper initiatives in Chile, directly influencing project feasibility, stakeholder alignment, and operational readiness. It operates across multiple jurisdictions and interfaces with national, regional, and local authorities, as well as internal teams and external consultants.
Primary responsibilities & key focus areas
- Develop and execute the permitting roadmap aligned with project milestones and regulatory timelines
- Lead the preparation, submission, and follow-up of EIAs, DIAs, and sectorial permits, ensuring full compliance with Chilean environmental and mining regulations.
- Coordinate with legal, technical, and community teams to ensure permit applications reflect project design and stakeholder expectations .
- Engage with regulatory bodies such as SEA, SERNAGEOMIN, DGA, CONAF, and SEREMIs to facilitate approvals and resolve issues.
- Monitor regulatory trends and advise on strategic adjustments to mitigate risks and delays.
- Provide expert guidance on permitting constraints, land access, and mineral rights negotiations.
- Support operational readiness by ensuring all construction and operational permits are in place and aligned with project execution plans .
- Represent the project in stakeholder engagements and community consultations related to permitting
What you will bring and require to be considered for this role
- Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Law, Public Policy, or related field (required).
- Master’s degree or postgraduate specialization in Environmental Management, Regulatory Affairs, or Mining Law (preferred).
- Minimum 20 years of experience in permitting and regulatory roles for large-scale mining projects in Chile.
- Proven track record of leading and securing approvals for multiple EIAs and DIAs in complex project environments
- Deep understanding of Chilean permitting frameworks, including SEA processes, sectorial permits, and RCA issuance.
- Experience managing permitting for infrastructure components such as processing facilities, power systems, water supply, and desalination plants.
- Familiarity with environmental evaluation commissions, consolidated reports (ICE), and RCA documentation workflow
- Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate across legal, technical, and community functions.
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience interacting with government agencies, Indigenous communities, and joint venture partner.
- Strategic thinker with high resilience and adaptability in dynamic regulatory environments.
- Strong communication skills in Spanish and English.
- Commitment to ethical leadership, sustainability, and Rio Tinto’s core values
About Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminium, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive.
We have been mining for 150 years and operate with knowledge built up across generations and continents. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs – striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards. But we can’t do it on our own, so we’re focused on creating partnerships to solve problems, create win-win situations and meet opportunities.
Every Voice Matters
At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.
We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.
JOB_POSTING-3-11371
Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminum, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive.
We have been mining for 150 years and operate with knowledge built up across generations and continents. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs—striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards. But we can’t do it on our own, so we’re focused on creating partnerships to solve problems, create win-win and meet opportunities.
At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities, and people from different cultural backgrounds.
We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable being themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or anything else that makes us who we are.
Take your leadership career to the next level.
Where can Rio Tinto take you?
You’re passionate and ambitious with tremendous career aspirations. The breadth and growth of our organisation empowers you to define your ideal career path.
Take a look at Katie’s career journey
Take a look at Theresia’s career journey
- 2022 - PresentManager Projects - Energy DevelopmentBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2021Superintendent Operations CentreBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2020Development / Drill and Blast SuperintendentPilbara, Western Australia
- 2019Deputy Quarry ManagerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2018Development SupervisorPilbara, Western Australia
- 2017Senior Engineer of Drill, Blast and SurveyPilbara, Western Australia
- 2016Production EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2015Mine scheduler - 2 week plannerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2014Drill and Blast EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2012Graduate Mining EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2022 – PresentChief advisor Nature SolutionsJohannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- 2018 – 2022Head of Environment, Global HSESMontreal, Quebec, Canada
- 2016 – 2018Principal advisor: EnvironmentJohannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- 2013 – 2016Superintendent: Ecology and RehabilitationRichards Bay Minerals, KZN, South Africa
- 2012 – 2013EcologistRichards Bay Minerals, KZN, South Africa
Working at Rio Tinto
Help us deliver the materials that make human progress possible.
The plane you’re flying in just landed. You fire up your phone and get your laptop out of the overhead bin. Immediately, you’re in work mode – thousands of miles from your office. Do you ever stop to think about all the materials that make life in the 21st century possible? At Rio Tinto, we discover, develop and deliver the materials that drive human progress. When you work with us, you’ll experience advantages you won’t find anywhere else.
Working in one of our function’s teams
We supply the materials that drive human progress. You make it all possible.
With business operations that stretch from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Perth, Western Australia, we have exciting opportunities in virtually every discipline imaginable. From HR to marketing, finance to technology, infrastructure to supply chain, and much more, the opportunities are endless. Join us and enjoy:
Our application process
01
Apply
The first thing you’ll need to do is apply to the role. You can do this with your LinkedIn profile or you can upload your resume. We’ll also ask you to complete a few questions before you submit your application.
02
Undergo assessments
Our assessments are designed to help us work out whether you are suitable for the role. We will let you know which ones you’ll need to complete.
03
Interview(s)
Our interviews could be in person or online. It’s a great opportunity for us to get to know you a bit better, answer any of your questions and talk about the exciting career opportunity you have applied for.
04
Offers and checks
At this stage, we will let you know if you have been successful. If you have been, we’ll need to conduct a couple of checks, such as a background or security check. You may also need to do a medical assessment depending on the role you have applied for.
05
Join the Rio Tinto team
Once the checks have been completed, we’ll be in touch to talk with you about your start date and answer any questions you may have before you start with us.